Drying machine



H. KoPL/m DRYING MACHINE Dec. 23, 1930.

2` sheets-sheet 1 Filed Feb. l, 1950 IN VEN TOR, lay Hpz 7 B Y A TOR EY.

H. KoPLlN DRYING MACHINE Dec. 23, 1930.

2 sheets-sneer `2 Filed Feb. l. 1930 l N V EN TOR. Har/y fzpz'n, B Y` Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY xorLIN, oF climatic, ILLINOIS, AssIGivoItro vTHE AMICO COMPANY, INC., or

Y y CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DRYING MACHINE Application filed February 1, 1930. Serial No. 425,270.

This invention relates to drying machines, more particularly to solvent reclaiming apparatus therefor, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, an apparatus of such class by means of which solvents or cleaning fluidsfmay be driven fromV drying clothes and condensed to permit the reuse of the solvent, thereby affording a means for removing a maximum percent of the solventsV from the clothes to render deodoriz-ing of the clothes unneces-v sary, and further affording a means'for reducing the expense of cleaning clothes with a solvent.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of' parts as hereinafter more particularly de-Y scribed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein isshown an embodiment of the invention, but itis to be understood that the description and drawings are to be taken as illustrative rather thanlimita-v tive, and that the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope ofthe claims hereunto appended.v L

In theaccompanying drawings in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan thereof. Y

' Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 indicates acasing preferably supported on a'plurality of oscillatory'V hanger links 2, the links being supported upon' a plurality of spaced floor brackets 3 The brackets 3 may be of any suitable construe! tion to swivelly support the links at the up-` per ends of the latter, the lower ends of the links being swivelly connected with the casf ing by means of a plurality of legs 4 projecting from the casing. The ycasing is open at its top with the exception of a flange 6 which projects inwardly from the upper edges of the sides.

The bottom' 7 of .the casing inclines upwardly toward the center and extending through. the bottom, centrally thereof, Vis-"a bearing structure 8 for supporting Va verti` cally disposed shaft 9. Fixedly secured to be lower end of the sha-ft 9 is a pulley l() which is driven by a belt 11 mounted on the vdrive pulley 12 of a motor 13.

Carried by the shaft 9 is a basket 14, the bottom 15 of which inclines upwardly towards the center and is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the` shaft. The sidesof the basket are perforated as indicated at 16 and the basket is open at its top with the exceptionl of an inwardly directed flange 16 the inner edge of which is disposed in substantially the same'vertical plane as the inner Y edge of the'flange 5.V

` The casing 1 isl provided with a lid 17 which is seated on the flange 5 and seated on the lid 17 is a heater shell l8. The shell 18 `is provided in its upper wall with an open ing 19 wliiclris inregistry with a similar opening formed in the lid 17. Mounted on the shell 18 is a motor 20, the shaft of which V.actuates a fan 21 disposed within the upper portion of the shell 18. Disposed within the shell 18, below the fan 21, is a steam coil 22, the opposite ends of which are connected with steam conduits 23, one of'which provides an inlet and the other an .outlet forV the coil The conduits 23 areconnected with pipe sections 24; of a steam supply system, not shown, the steam passing from one section to the other through the conduits 23 and coil 22. The sections are iixedly mounted on brackets 25projecting from the upper face of the flange 5 and are `disposed in longitudinalalignment withfthe conduits 23 loosely connected therewith whereby the sections provide the axis of a hinge mounting for the lid 17. The lidl17 is normally held in closed position by means of-a clamp 26 carried by the flanger 5 at a point substantially diametrically opposite the hinge mounting for the lid. f

l `Secured to the lid l17 `and extending at an upward inclinationtherefrom is a pair of cables 27 which pass over `pulleys 28 mounted on supporting arms l29 secured to and projecting upwardly from the casing 1. Veights 30 are secured to `the Vcables 27 whereby the cables 27 normally exerta force on the lid 17 to swing the same to open position. .Adjacent the hinge mounting therefor, the lid 17 is provided with a pair of stops 31, the free ends of which abut against the upper face of the flange 5 for supporting the lid when the latter is in open position.

i*idjacent' the casing l is a condenserI casing having disposed therein a cooling coii 32. Having one end extending through the bottom 7 of the casing l is a vapor tube 33 which enters the casing 3l adjacent the bottom of the latter and which is bent to provide a pair of oppositely disposed loops and 35 arranged vertically within the casing 3l. f unted on the top of the casing 3l is a. housing 36 for a motor 3'? and suction fan 33, the latter being disposed directly over the outer end of the vapor tube 33 which opens through the top wall of the casing 3l at said outer end. if desired, the housing 36 may be provided with a suitable vent pipe, not shown. On opposite sides of the ugpnvardly extending loop 34: of the vapor tube the iatter is provided at its lowermost points with a pair of draw-off pipes 39 and 40.

The inner end of the tube 33 projects above the upper face of the bottom 7 of the casing l whereby any sediment wihin the casing will be prevented from passing into the 'tube 33, and spaced from the inner end of the tube 33, the bottom 7 is provided with a sediment trap il through which any sediment which collects within the casing l may be drawn off.

Then clothes are being dried within the basket 14.-, steam is admitted to the coil 2i?. and air is driven by the fan 2l over the heated coil into the basket whereby the solvent with which the clothes are saturated is turned to vapor and drawn through the vvapor tube 33 by means of the suction fan 33; As the vapor passes through the tube 33 it is chilled by the proximity of the cooling coil 32 with respect to the tube whereby the major portion of the vapor is condensed and may be drawn from the tube 33 through the pipes 39 and 40 into suitable receptacles 42.

It is thought that the many advantages of a solvent reclaiming` apparatus in accordance with this invention will be readily apparent, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustra-ted and described, it is to be understood that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

l. In combination, a clothes drying basket, a casing therefor, a heater arranged over the basket, a fan disposed over the heater for forcing heated air through the basket to faporize the solvent absorbed by the clothes therein, a condenser casing, a cooling coil within the condenser casing, and a vapor tube leading from the drying basket casing to the condenser casing, said vapor tube extending through and projecting upwardly from the bottom of the casing for the drying basket, said bottom being provided with a sediment trap adjacent the projecting end of said tube.

2. In a clothes drier, an open top casing, an open top clothes drying basket within the casing, a lid for the casing formed with an opening, a heater shell carried by the lid and surrounding the opening, a steam coil within the shell, longitudinally aligned pipe seotions mounted on the casing, steam conduits connecting the coil with the pipe sections and having loose connection with the latter to provide a hinge mounting for the lid, a weighted cable connected with the lid and normally tending to swing the same to open position, and a clamp carried by the casing for engagement with the lid to maintain the latter in closed position.

3. A drying apparatus comprising, an open top casing, a centrifugal extractor' within the casing, a lid for the casing and formed with an opening, a heater shell carried by the lid and surrounding the opening, a steam coil within the shell, longitudinally aligned pipe sections mounted on the casing, and steam conduits connecting the coil with the pipe sections and having loose connection with the latter to provide a hinge mounting for the lid.

4. A drying apparatus comprising, an open top casing, a centrifugal extractor within the casing, a lid for the casing, a heater element carried by the lid, longitudinally aligned heat conductor sections mounted on the casing, and heat conductors connecting the heater element with said conductor sections and having loose connection with the latter to provide a hinge mounting for the lid.

In testimony whereof, I afx my signature hereto.

HARRY KOPLIN. 

